U.S. patent application number 11/200085 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-23 for key button structure and portable terminal device therewith.
This patent application is currently assigned to NEC CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Fumiyuki Kobayashi.
Application Number | 20060037848 11/200085 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35134767 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060037848 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kobayashi; Fumiyuki |
February 23, 2006 |
Key button structure and portable terminal device therewith
Abstract
The present invention provides a key button structure, capable
of easily and positively finding a targeted character in accordance
with an entry mode preset by a user, comprises: a key top; a light
shielding section, which is attached onto rear face of the key top
and of which is formed by reversely printing characters assigned to
a key button for each character type display area; key backlights,
each of which is provided in a dome anchoring sheet for covering a
metal dome, and are arranged so as to be divided into three types:
key backlights for lighting a numeral display area, a kana
character display area, and an alphabetical letter display area
respectively. For example, with a numeral entry mode preset, only
the key backlight for lighting the numeral display area is lighted,
thus displaying only a required numeral bright in the number entry
mode.
Inventors: |
Kobayashi; Fumiyuki;
(Saitama, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY AND LARDNER LLP;SUITE 500
3000 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20007
US
|
Assignee: |
NEC CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
35134767 |
Appl. No.: |
11/200085 |
Filed: |
August 10, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/310 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01H 2219/028 20130101;
G06F 3/0202 20130101; H01H 2221/07 20130101; H01H 2219/03 20130101;
H04M 1/22 20130101; H04M 1/72466 20210101; H01H 2219/02 20130101;
H01H 2219/039 20130101; G06F 3/0238 20130101; H01H 13/83
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
200/310 |
International
Class: |
H01H 9/00 20060101
H01H009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 17, 2004 |
JP |
2004/237766 |
Claims
1. A key button structure, serving as a key button structure for a
portable terminal device in which a plurality of types of
characters such as numerals, kana characters and alphabetical
letters are respectively assigned to a key button, and comprising:
a key top made of transparent material on which characters assigned
to a key button are printed for each character type, and key
backlights lighting characters printed on the key top for each
character type from the back side, wherein the key backlights are
formed so that each of display areas for the characters printed for
each character type may be individually lighted up.
2. The key button structure according to claim 1, wherein the key
top includes a light shield section on which characters to be
printed for each character type are reversely printed.
3. The key button structure according to claim 2, wherein the light
shielding section is formed on a front face of the key top.
4. The key button structure according to claim 2, wherein the light
shielding section is formed on a rear face of the key top.
5. The key button structure according to claim 1, wherein the key
backlights are subjected to lighting control in accordance with a
preset entry mode.
6. The key button structure according to claim 1, wherein the key
backlights perform lighting in a different color for every
character display area.
7. The key button structure according to claim 1, wherein the key
backlights are made of EL element.
8. The key button structure according to claim 1, wherein the key
backlights are made of LED element.
9. The key button structure for a portable terminal device in which
a plurality of types of characters such as numerals, kana
characters and alphabetical letters are respectively assigned to a
key button, wherein the key button structure comprises: a key top
made of transparent material depressed by a user; a light shielding
section formed by reversely printing a character assigned to a key
button for each character type on a face of a key top; an elastic
metal dome brought into contact with a contact point formed on a
printed circuit board by depressing a key top; an elastic dome
anchoring sheet made of transparent material for anchoring the
metal dome so as to cover the dome; and key backlights disposed in
the dome anchoring sheet and individually lighting each of
character display areas for each character type of the light
shielding section.
10. The key button structure according to claim 9, wherein the key
backlights are subjected to lighting control in accordance with a
preset entry mode.
11. The key button structure according to claim 9, wherein the key
backlights perform lighting in a different color for every
character display area.
12. The key button structure according to claim 9, wherein the
light shielding section is formed on a front face of the key
top.
13. The key button structure according to claim 9, wherein the
light shielding section is formed on a rear face of the key
top.
14. A portable terminal device equipped with a key button structure
in which a plurality of types of characters such as numerals, kana
characters and alphabetical letters are respectively assigned to a
key button, wherein the key button structure comprises: a key top
made of transparent material on which characters assigned to a key
button are printed for each character type; and key backlights
individually lighting each of character type areas for characters
printed on the key top for each character type from the back
side.
15. The portable terminal device according to claim 14, wherein the
key backlights are subjected to lighting control in accordance with
a preset entry mode.
16. The portable terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the
key backlights perform lighting in a different color for every
character display area.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a key button structure
applied to a portable terminal device such as a mobile phone, PHS
(Personal Handyphone System), PDA (Personal Data Assistance,
Personal Digital Assistants: Personal Portable Information
Communication Device), and more particularly to a key button
structure for displaying a plurality of characters assigned to
respective key buttons and a portable terminal device
therewith.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A recent mobile phone includes a telephone book function and
a mail function, where characters such as numerals, kana characters
and alphabetical letters are often entered by operating key
buttons.
[0005] Such a mobile phone has restrictions on size and weight,
which limits spaces of a key operation section and number of key
buttons. Accordingly, a plurality of types of characters such as
numerals, kana characters and alphabetical letters are assigned to
one key button.
[0006] FIG. 13 is a view illustrating an example of a conventional
plurality of types of characters assigned to a ten-key and symbol
keys of the key operation section.
[0007] A plurality of types of characters such as numerals, kana
characters and alphabetical letters are respectively assigned to
respective key button of a ten-key.
[0008] For a user to enter characters, a character indicated on a
key button is visibly verified, and a key button corresponding to a
desired character is looked for and depressed in accordance with an
entry mode. However, it is necessary to visibly verify a desired
character and select a key corresponding to the character from
respective keys assigned with a plurality of types of characters,
and indicated characters are difficult to visibly verify.
Accordingly, entry speed lowers or an erroneous entry occurs.
[0009] To improve the visibility of a displayed character on a key
button, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-6479 (Patent
Document 1) discloses a switch button capable of improving the
visibility by forming characters such as numerals and kana
characters into a recessed shape on a rear face of a button
main-body constituted of a transparent material and coloring the
recessed portion so that the displayed characters may look
three-dimensional by the lighting from the rear face.
[0010] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-320005
(Patent Document 2) discloses a key structure for portable terminal
equipment capable of enlarging display areas and display sizes for
high visibility by indicating a kana character and alphabetical
letters on the front side of a transparent key body having a
prescribed thickness and indicating a numeral on the rear side of
the key body.
[0011] The switch button disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes it
easy to see characters because the characters such as numerals and
kana characters formed in a recessed pattern are displayed in three
dimensions, however, concurrently displays the plurality of
characters such as numerals and kana characters formed in a
recessed pattern. In selecting a targeted character in accordance
with an entry mode, characters other than the character to be
entered are also displayed. This inhibits a targeted character from
being looked for, thus speedy entry becomes difficult, and an
erroneous entry is apt to occur.
[0012] The key structure for portable terminal equipment disclosed
in Patent Document 2 makes it easy to see characters because a
targeted character is enlarged and displayed on both faces of the
front and side of a key body, however, the characters indicated
respectively on both faces of the front and side of the key body
are overlapped by each other so as to be invisible. In selecting a
targeted character in accordance with an entry mode, characters
other than the character to be entered are also displayed. This
inhibits a targeted character from being looked for, thus speedy
entry becomes difficult, and an erroneous entry is apt to
occur.
[0013] For example, in making an entry in kana entry mode, a
targeted kana character looks overlapped with alphabetical letters
or a numeral other than a kana character assigned to a key button,
therefore the kana character is not easy to look for. This lowers
entry speed and frequently causes erroneous entries.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a key button structure capable of improving visibility for
high entry speed and prevention of erroneous entries by displaying
a targeted character in accordance with an entry mode so as to find
the character easily and positively.
[0015] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
key button structure capable of improving the visibility of a key
button for high entry speed and prevention of erroneous entries by
displaying a targeted character in accordance with an entry mode so
as to find the character easily and positively.
[0016] To achieve the aforementioned object, a key button structure
of the present invention, serving as a key button structure for a
portable terminal device in which a plurality of types of
characters such as numerals, kana characters and alphabetical
letters are respectively assigned to a key button, comprises: a key
top made of transparent material on which characters assigned to a
key button are printed for each character type; and key backlights
lighting characters printed on the key top for each character type
from the back side, wherein the key backlights are formed so that
each of display areas for the characters printed for each character
type may be individually lighted up.
[0017] Preferably, the key top has light shielding sections on
which characters to be printed for each character type are
reversely-printed.
[0018] The light shielding section may be formed on the front face
or rear face of the key top.
[0019] According to this embodiment, the key backlights are
subjected to lighting control in accordance with an entry mode
preset by a user.
[0020] Preferably, the respective backlights perform lighting in a
different color for each character display area.
[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a key button structure for a portable terminal device
in which a plurality of types of characters such as numerals, kana
characters and alphabetical letters are respectively assigned to a
key button, wherein the key button structure comprises: a key top
made of transparent material depressed by a user; a light shielding
section formed by reversely printing a character assigned to a key
button for each character type on a face of a key top; an elastic
metal dome brought into contact with a contact point formed on a
printed circuit board by depressing a key top; an elastic dome
anchoring sheet made of transparent material for anchoring the
metal dome so as to cover the dome; and key backlights disposed in
the dome anchoring sheet and individually lighting each of
character display areas for each character type of the light
shielding section.
[0022] The respective key backlight is subjected to lighting
control in accordance with a preset entry mode.
[0023] Preferably, the respective key backlight performs lighting
in a different color for each character display area.
[0024] According to a further aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a portable terminal device equipped with a key
button structure in which a plurality of types of characters such
as numerals, kana characters and alphabetical letters are
respectively assigned to a key button, wherein the key button
structure comprises: [0025] a key top made of transparent material
on which characters assigned to a key button are printed for each
character type; and [0026] key backlights individually lighting
each of character type areas for characters printed on the key top
for each character type from the back side.
[0027] The respective key backlight is subjected to lighting
control in accordance with a preset entry mode.
[0028] Preferably, the respective key backlight performs lighting
in a different color for each character type area.
[0029] According to the present invention, by disposing key
backlights which individually light each of character display areas
in which a plurality of types of characters such as numerals, kana
characters and alphabetical letters assigned to each of key buttons
are displayed for each character type, the key backlight is lighted
in accordance with a preset entry mode to display only a required
character in the preset entry mode, so that a user can find a
targeted character easily and positively, thus increasing entry
speed and preventing generation of erroneous entries.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] The present invention is now described with reference to the
drawings.
[0031] FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a key
button of a mobile phone according to a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an example of a light
shielding section 8 formed in each key button of a ten-key
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a positional relationship of
character display areas of a light shielding section 8 with
respective key backlights;
[0034] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a relationship between display
of a key button and lighting of a backlight according to one
embodiment of the present invention, and illustrating a state in
which a key backlight 6-1 for lighting a display area of a numeral
"2" is lighted and a state in which the numeral "2" is lighted
bright at that time;
[0035] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a relationship between display
of a key button and lighting of a backlight according to one
embodiment of the present invention, a state in which a key
backlight 6-2 for lighting a display area of a Japanese kana
character " (ka)" is lighted, and a state in which the kana
character " (ka)" is displayed bright at that time.
[0036] FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are views illustrating display examples
of the brightness of each of characters in a numeral entry mode, a
kana character entry mode and an alphabet entry mode for one key
button according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 7 is a front view illustrating an example of a mobile
phone using a key button structure according to a first embodiment
of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating lighting control of a
key backlight according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0039] FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a displayed character in a
ten-key in a numeral entry mode according to one embodiment of the
present invention;
[0040] FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a displayed character in a
ten-key in a kana entry mode according to one embodiment of the
present invention;
[0041] FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a displayed character in a
ten-key in an alphabet entry mode according to one embodiment of
the present invention;
[0042] FIG. 12 is a sectional view illustrating a key button
structure according to another embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0043] FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a conventional layout example
of a ten-key in a key operation section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a key
button of a mobile phone according to a first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0045] In FIG. 1, the key button comprises: a key top 1 made of
translucent material, protruding from a face of a case of a mobile
phone and depressed by a user; contact points 3 formed on a printed
circuit board 2; an elastic metal dome 4 positioned above the
contact points 3 and electrically connecting a section between the
contact points in response to a depressing motion; an elastic dome
anchoring sheet 5 made of translucent material for anchoring the
metal dome 4 so as to cover the dome; key backlights 6 positioned
in the dome anchoring sheet 5; and a rubber sheet 7 positioned on
the rear side of the key top 1, formed with a protrusion (a presser
section) for depressing the central portion of the dome anchoring
sheet 5 and made of translucent material.
[0046] On the rear face of the key top 1, there is provided the
light shielding section 8 formed by reversely printing characters
assigned to the key button.
[0047] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an example when viewed from
the surface of a mobile phone with backlights irradiating the type
of respective characters in the light shielding section 8 printed
on each of the key tops of the ten-key and the symbol key.
[0048] A character display area is provided for each character type
of characters such as numerals, kana characters and alphabetical
letters. Namely, numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0) in the
case of a ten-key, and symbols (*, #) in the case of symbol keys
are arranged in a display area on the left side of the light
shielding section. Kana characters are arranged at the right upper
section of the numerals 1 to 9 and at the right upper section and
the right lower section of a numeral 0.
[0049] Reverse printing is performed so that portions with
characters assigned to respective key buttons may pass light and
the other portions without characters may cut off light.
[0050] Each of the key backlights 6 is, for example, a thin-film EL
(electroluminescence) and lights a character display area of the
light shielding section 8 positioned on the rear face of the key
top 1 from the back side.
[0051] Moreover, the key backlight 6 is disposed, being divided
into three: a key backlight 6-1 which lights a numeral display
area, a key backlight 6-2 which lights a kana display area and a
key backlight 6-3 which lights an alphabet display area so as to
independently light each of the character display areas of the
light shielding section 8, as described later.
[0052] The light shielding section 8 receives light from the key
backlight for each character display area, so that the light
passing through a reversely printed character portion makes a
character allotted to a key button look bright for each character
type.
[0053] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a positional relationship of
character display areas of a light shielding section 8 with
respective key backlights 6.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated an example of the
light shielding section 8 of the key button to which a numeral "2",
a kana letter " (ka)", and alphabetical letters "ABC" are assigned
respectively, and correspondence among the backlight 6-1 for
lighting a numeral display area, the backlight 6-2 for lighting a
kana character display area, and the backlight 6-3 for lighting an
alphabet display area, which light the respective areas. These
display areas receive lighting of the individual backlights
respectively.
[0055] If the key backlight 6-1 n for lighting the numeral display
area 81 of the light shielding section 8 is lighted, only a numeral
"2" can be displayed bright. FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a state
in which only a key backlight 6-1 for lighting a display area of a
numeral "2" is lighted and a state in which the numeral "2" is
lighted bright at that time.
[0056] Likewise, referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a state
in which the key backlight 6-2 for lighting the kana character
display area 82 is lighted and only a kana character " (ka)" is
displayed bright. Likewise, if the key backlight 6-3 for lighting
an alphabet display area is lighted, only an alphabetical group
"ABC" can be displayed bright.
[0057] Referring to FIGS. 6A to 6C, there are illustrated
differences in brightness among views in a numeral entry mode (FIG.
6A), a kana entry mode (FIG. 6B), and an alphabet entry mode (FIG.
6C) respectively. Lighting of the key backlights 6-1, 6-2, and 6-3
is controlled in accordance with an entry mode.
[0058] FIG. 7 is a front view illustrating an example of a mobile
phone using a key button structure according to the present
invention. On one side of a foldable case of a mobile phone, there
are disposed an antenna 11, a speaker 12 making a sound, and a
display section 13 for displaying various types of data. On the
other side of the foldable mobile phone, there are disposed a key
operation section 14 operated by a user, and a microphone 15. The
key button is used for ten-key in a key operation section 14 and
symbol keys.
[0059] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating lighting control of key
backlights 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. The lighting control is performed in
accordance with function keys which select entry mode of the input
operation section or a power switch by a control section not
illustrated here.
[0060] Referring to FIG. 8, in the initial state in which a user
turns on a power switch of a mobile phone (step 101), key
backlights for all character display areas of the light shielding
section 8 are lighted (step 102). That is, the key backlight 6-1
for lighting the numeral display area, the key backlight 6-2 for
lighting the kana display area, and the key backlight 6-3 for
lighting the alphabet display are lighted.
[0061] Then, if the user sets a numeral entry mode (step 103), only
the key backlight 6-1 for lighting the numeral display area of the
light shielding section 8 is lighted, and the key backlights 6-2
and 6-3 for lighting an kana display area and an alphabet display
area go off (step 104). In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 9,
only the numeral display area is lighted, and a character required
in a numeral entry mode is markedly displayed bright.
[0062] If the user sets a kana entry mode (step 105), only the key
backlight 6-2 for lighting a kana display area of the light
shielding section 8 is lighted, and the key backlights 6-1, 6-3 for
lighting a numeral display area and an alphabet display area are go
off (step 106). In this case, only a character in the kana display
area is lighted as illustrated in FIG. 10, and a character required
in the kana entry mode is markedly lighted bright.
[0063] If the user sets an alphabet entry mode (step 107), only the
key backlight 6-3 for lighting an alphabet display area of the
light shielding section 8 is lighted, and the key backlights 6-1,
6-2 for lighting a numeral display area and a kana display area go
off (step 108). In this case, only characters in the alphabet
display area are lighted as illustrated in FIG. 11, and a character
required in the alphabet entry mode is markedly lighted bright.
[0064] Unless any change is made in an entry mode until power is
OFF in steps 201, 301, 401 ("N" in steps 202, 302, 402), lighting
is continued in accordance with each mode. If any change is made in
the entry mode ("Y" in steps 202, 302, 402), it moves from a
coupler A to a step 103 to perform lighting control in accordance
with the entry mode.
[0065] By lighting only a corresponding character display area in
accordance with the entry mode preset by the user in the above way
to display only a required character, visibility at a character
entry can be improved.
[0066] Luminescent colors of the key backlight 6-1 for lighting a
numeral display area, the key backlight 6-2 for lighting a kana
display area, and the key backlight 6-3 for lighting an alphabet
display area may be made different from each other.
[0067] For example, if the colors of the key backlights 6-1, 6-2,
and 6-3 are taken as blue, yellowish green, and orange
respectively, seeing the displayed color can identify the character
type of numerals, kana characters, and alphabetical letters, thus
achieving higher visibility.
[0068] The key backlights 6 are not limited to thin-film EL
(electroluminescence), and for example, devices such as LED (light
emitting diode) may be used.
[0069] FIG. 12 is a sectional view illustrating a key button
structure according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
[0070] A different point of the key button structure according to
one embodiment of the present invention from a key button structure
illustrated in FIG. 1 is to attach the light shielding section 8
onto a surface of the key top 1. Other components are the same as
those illustrated in FIG. 1, their description is omitted.
Moreover, attachment of such a light shielding section onto the
surface of the key top yields the same effects as in the case where
the light shielding section is attached onto the rear surface. This
type of key button structure, capable of being applied to such
mobile phones as illustrated in FIG. 7, can perform lighting
control.
[0071] In the foregoing embodiment, character arrangement of
numerals, kana characters, and alphabetical letters uses the
arrangements which conventional key buttons constitute as they are,
however, the character arrangement may be changed for each key
button without being limited to the conventional character
arrangement. For example, in the case of numeral keys "7" and "9",
four alphabetical letters are positioned at the right lower
section, a part of which may be positioned next to kana characters
and, according to the position change, the shape and arrangement of
the backlight may be changed.
* * * * *